Healthy Lifestyle Choices
The main benefit of these lifestyle choices is that in the future you are less likely to develop heart disease, stroke, diabetes, liver problems, lung problems, and certain cancers.
What can I do to help stay healthy?
You should not smoke
If you smoke, stopping smoking is often the single most effective thing that you can do to reduce your risk of future illness. The risk to health falls rapidly as soon as you stop smoking (but takes a few years before the increased risk reduces completely). If you find it hard to stop smoking, then see your practice nurse for help. Medication may be advised to help you to stop.
Take some regular exercise
Anything that gets you mildly out of breath and a little sweaty is fine. For example: jogging, heavy gardening, swimming, cycling, etc. A brisk walk each day is what many people do - and that is fine. However, it is thought that the more vigorous the exercise, the better. To gain most benefit you should do at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. Several short bursts of exercise is thought to be just as good. For example, three 10 minute bouts of exercise at different times in a day.
Eat a healthy diet
Briefly, a healthy diet means:
• AT LEAST five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables per day.
• THE BULK OF MOST MEALS should be starch-based foods (such as cereals, wholegrain bread, potatoes, rice, pasta), plus fruit and vegetables.
• NOT MUCH fatty food such as fatty meats, cheeses, full-cream milk, fried food, butter, etc. Use low fat, mono-, or poly-unsaturated spreads.
• INCLUDE 2-3 portions of fish per week. At least one of which should be 'oily' (such as herring, mackerel, sardines, kippers, pilchards, salmon, or fresh tuna).
• If you eat meat it is best to eat lean meat, or poultry such as chicken.
• If you do fry, choose a vegetable oil such as sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil.
• Try not to add salt to food, and avoid foods which are salty.
Try to lose weight if you are overweight or obese
You don't need to get to a perfect weight. If you are overweight you can gain great health benefits by losing 5-10% of your weight. This is often about 5-10 kg. (10 kg is about one and a half stone.).
Don't drink too much alcohol
A small amount of alcohol is usually fine, but too much can be harmful. Men should drink no more than 21 units per week (and no more than 4 units in any one day). Women should drink no more than 14 units per week (and no more than 3 units in any one day). One unit is about half a pint of normal strength beer, or one small glass of wine, or one pub measure of spirits.
Do you want more detail?
See you practice nurse if you want further advice or help on any of the above.
